Mischief and Misunderstandings
by sparrowlove
Summary: Wilson takes House's cane for an elaborate prank... and loses the cane. House, Wilson, Cuddy. Mention of Amber.


"Have you seen House's cane? The one with the flames at the bottom?"

"He has you hunting down his misplaced stuff now? Can't he get one of the new fellows to do that?" Chase eyed the disheveled man in front of him. Wilson was out-of-breath. Clearly he had been searching for the cane for some time.

"No, I'm not searching for it for him. I was the one who misplaced it."

"What were you doing with his cane?"

"I, uh, long story," Wilson finished lamely. Chase looked at him expectantly. "It was part of a prank," Wilson admitted.

"Involving his cane?"

"An elaborate prank."

"Well, I'm sorry I can't help you then. But when you get it back, let me know, I always like to be around when someone gets one over on House." Wilson thanked him and continued on.

"Cameron," he called, catching up to her in the hallway. "Have you seen House's cane?"

"No, I haven't," she said apologetically. "He's lost it? Where was the last place you saw it?"

"In my apartment," Wilson responded. Cameron lifted her eyebrows, obviously drawing the wrong conclusion. Everyone seemed to draw that conclusion lately, Wilson thought. But Cameron did not comment except to ask why Wilson thought she would know what had happened to something that had gotten lost in his apartment. Wilson considered this and shrugged. "Good point," he said. "Sorry to bother you."

"It's alright," Cameron said smiling.

As he travelled through the hospital, he asked one of the nurses, who didn't know what he was talking about, Foreman who laughed as he asked Wilson, "What happens if you don't find it? You going to fess up or are you going to replace it and hope he doesn't notice?" and Kutner, who wanted to know more about the prank Wilson had been planning. Finally, Wilson reached the Clinic, and the office that adjoined it. He burst in, hoping the occupant wasn't consulting with a patient.

"I lost it," he said.

"Lost what?" Cuddy asked. "The cane? How? The whole plan hinged on the cane!" she cried in exasperation.

"I don't know," Wilson answered glumly. "One minute it was in my house- in my room even- and the next it wasn't. I should've known that it was too easy. He didn't even notice when I took it. Obviously something had to mess things up."

"Maybe he did notice," Cuddy suggested. "Maybe he stole it back." Wilson shrugged. "I could look for it," she said then. "He'd be less likely to suspect me." She laughed. "I feel like I'm back in college. Course, it was hard to pull a prank on House back then too..." She laughed again.

"I'll keep looking," Wilson promised, smiling. As he strolled back down the hallway, who should he see but House? With a start, Wilson realized that House was limping along with his cane in his hand. The cane with the flames. House lifted it and waved it in the air slightly.

"Thank Bitch for me," he commented.

"Her name's Amber," Wilson corrected automatically. "Thank her for what?" he then asked, feigning innocence.

"She returned my cane," House replied. "Said she found it in her apartment. In her room, to be exact." He paused from a moment, considering. "You might want to talk to her about that, by the way." His voice was suddenly less sarcastic, more nervous. Wilson could tell that he was uncomfortable and thought that he knew why.

"She wanted to know how your cane got in our bedroom while she wasn't there," Wilson guessed.

"If she's as much like me as I think she is, she's done a background check on you or something. Found out all of your divorces have been caused by serial infidelity and that... that you always ended up at your best friend's house..." he trailed off. It was an awkward moment.

Wilson broke the silence. "It was for a prank."

"What?"

"A prank. Why I took your cane. Cuddy and I were planning a prank and... I sound ridiculous. I'll talk to Amber."

"Don't tell her that story. She won't believe it. I can tell you're telling the truth and I don't believe it. Tell her I left it in the Clinic and you were holding onto it until you could return it."

"She'll be more likely to believe you were in the Clinic?"

"I have to get these somehow," House said, popping a Vicodin in his mouth.

Wilson looked away, off into the distance, beyond the hospital walls, thinking, and smiled. "'Night, House."

"'Night, Wilson."


End file.
